Acute malnutrition remains a public health concern worldwide with at least 45 million children under five wasted globally. Despite global and national efforts towards reducing wasting, slow progress is noted in achieving the global nutrition targets of less than 5% of children wasted. Kenya is faced with the triple burden of undernutrition, overnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic Health survey, there has been progress in reduction of stunting and obesity and a marginal increase in wasting levels. Stunting rates among children under five years reduced from 26% in 2014 to 17.6% in 2022 while the prevalence of overweight and obesity also reduced from 4% to 3% over the same period. The marginal increase in wasting levels from 4% in 2014 to 5% in 2022 could be attributed to the protracted drought experienced from 2020 to 2022, the worst in 40 years. Micronutrient deficiencies especially of iron, vitamin A and zinc similarly remain a public health challenge in Kenya.
The Ministry of Health Kenya through the Division of Nutrition and Dietetics is implementing the program on the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM). This is a comprehensive programme that oversees the provision of nutrition services for individuals with acute malnutrition (wasting and nutritional oedema) in all settings including emergency contexts. Malnutrition is associated with 45% of all under five deaths hence a major contributor to under five mortalities. Children with severe acute malnutrition are nearly 12 times more likely to die compared to their non-malnourished counterparts. These children thus require specialized care and for this reason specific guidelines and training manuals are developed to guide health care professions in the care of the acutely malnourished individuals. World Health Organization (WHO) released new recommendations on the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional oedema (acute malnutrition) among under-fives in 2023.
Following the release of the new WHO 2023 recommendations on the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional oedema among children under five, the Government of Kenya is adopting the WHO recommendations into various guidelines including the national guideline on the integrated management of acute malnutrition and its accompanying training manuals. A national consultant is required to facilitate this process working closely with the Division of Nutrition and Dietetics (DND) through the Emergency Nutrition Advisory Committee (ENAC) to support the review and update of the national IMAM guideline and training manuals.
Deliverables
The consultant will perform the following tasks and deliverables within a time-bound framework:
Tasks:
- Identify and review all the relevant and updated resource materials required for the revision of the IMAM guideline and training package. This includes current progress in country adaptation of IMAM guidelines including feedback from regional and in country consultative meetings, guidelines for child health (IMCI, BFHI, etc.) within the country and internationally, landscape analysis of the management of infants less than 6 months at risk of poor growth and development.
- Facilitate consultative workshops for the draft documents and existing evidence and building consensus on the content to be included.
- Facilitate the finalization of the existing draft national IMAM guideline, job aids and training package incorporating comments from stakeholders, guided by MoH, Emergency Nutrition Advisory committee (ENAC) and other stakeholders.
- Make presentation of the final products to ENAC
- Facilitate the validation of the national IMAM guideline, Job Aids, and training package.
- Undertake other related duties as requested
Deliverables:
- Inception report
- Final National guideline on the integrated management of acute malnutrition
- Final Job Aids (IMAM handbook, wall charts, flip chart, WHO reference charts)
- Final national training package on the integrated management of acute malnutrition (participant manual, facilitator manual, course director guide, clinical instructor guide)
- Final report
Qualifications, Experience, Skills & Languages
Educational Qualifications:
Essential:
- University degree in medicine, clinical nutrition, public health, or public health and nutrition.
Desirable:
- Advanced university degree in Pediatrics and Child Health, Clinical Nutrition, or Public Health and Nutrition.
Experience:
Essential:
- A minimum of 7 years of experience in development or implementation of interventions for the prevention and management of acute malnutrition in children under five years of age . Experience in developing strategies, guidelines and or protocols. Experience in conducting training and on the prevention and management acute malnutrition in infants and children under five years.
Desirable:
- Experience in nutrition programs in the African region.
Skills/Knowledge:
- Computer literacy in basic software programs.
- Proven understanding of the existing and needed quality of public health nutrition and case management in Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) with medical complication practices at health facilities.
- Excellent communication, writing, leadership, and analytical skills.
Languages and Level Required:
- Excellent knowledge of English and fluency in the working language of Kenya.
Technical Supervision
Technical Officer Nutrition and Food Safety.
Location
The consultant will work on-site at the World Health Organization's office located in Nairobi, Kenya, specifically at the UN Office in Nairobi, UN Gigiri Complex, Block P Level 1, P.O. Box 45335-00100. Travel No expected travel is specified.
Remuneration and Budget (Travel Costs Excluded)
The Consultant will receive remuneration of Kes 23,000 ($158) per day for 60 working days, exclusive of travel costs, with the potential for extension.
HOW TO APPLY:
If you are excited and meet the above qualifications, please visit our website on https://who.int/careers/ to apply for the position by 25th March 2024.
World Health Organization Jobs Kenya, NGO Nutrition Jobs Kenya
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